On Friday afternoon, at the Devils' practice rink, 21-year-old Scott Gomez got a little friendly advice from the 37-year-old Daneyko. The veteran's message to the sophomore center was very direct -- go to the net.

Based on what happened on Saturday night, Gomez got the hint.

After spending almost all of the first three games on the perimeter (not a place where successful offensive playoff performers earn their living) Gomez stopped thinking pretty and started acting gritty. As a result, he became a factor -- a big factor -- in the Devils' series-tying, come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Avs in Game 4.

"Sometimes we all need to get a little help," said the multi-scarred veteran defenseman, who was nursing cuts around both eyes and the bridge of his nose. "I just wanted to remind Gomer of a few things. I wanted it to be a positive talk and I thought he took it really well. He wasn't making excuses."

In their chat, Daneyko told Gomez how important he was in the Devils' second round series against the Leafs. He told the kid to get back to that kind of game. He told him to fight his way through and make something happen.

"Against Toronto, Gomer was driving to the net and getting in Cujo's way and being a real pest," Daneyko said. "When he's doing that, he's a very dangerous player."

Since that second round series, though, Gomez hadn't been too dangerous. In fact, until he knocked in the game-tying goal midway through the third period on Saturday, Gomez hadn't registered a single point in his last eight playoff games. The 2000 Rookie of the Year seemed to hit rock bottom in Game 3, when he was benched by coach Larry Robinson for most of the final period.

"After Thursday, I felt like a piece of?" Gomez said, censoring himself, "On Friday, before our team meeting, Dano pulled me aside and just told me to get in front of the net, like I was doing against Toronto. It was a good talk and helped make me feel a little better about things."

Throughout Game 4, which appeared to be going the Avs' way despite a wide margin in shots on goal (the Devs outshot the Avs, 35-12) and territorial play, Gomez was more combative-and determined to get to the front of the net. So determined, in fact, he was whistled for a goalie interference penalty just 4:42 into the game.

"When I got that penalty I was thinking, oh, man, here we go," Gomez said.

Despite the call, he kept going to the net. Finally, with the Devils in grave danger of going down 3-1 in the series, Gomez's go-to-the-net thinking paid off in a strange tying goal when Avs' goalie Patrick Roy misplayed a puck behind the net.

"I just went to the front of the net and I saw Patrick miss the puck," Gomez said. "Jay (Pandolfo) was right there. I don't even know if I yelled his name, but he got it out front. The way my luck had been going, I'm surprised I didn't hit it off the post."

No, he didn't hit it off the post. He hit it into the net -- to tie the game. A few minutes later, the Devils won it. Now, it's the best of three for the Cup. And, from here on out, expect Gomez to be right in the middle of things -- with a little assist from a scarred-up old defenseman who has been around.

E.J. Hradek writes puck for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail ej.hradek@espnmag.com.